seared scallops with creamy corn polenta and sweet pepper veggie salsa

A 30-minute restaurant-worthy dinner that’s seasonal, bright, and simple.

This is one of those dinners that looks like it took lots of effort, but actually comes together in about 30 minutes, and tastes like something you’d order at a coastal restaurant with a glass of white wine. (Ugh, can’t wait to have WINE AGAIN post pregnancy!!!!) *Sigh* I digress.

For this dish, we’ve got golden, perfectly-seared sea scallops layered over creamy polenta that’s folded with sweet corn for a little extra pop and texture. On top, there’s a bright, crunchy veggie salsa made with sweet bell peppers, zucchini, lime, and cilantro—it gives the whole dish this punchy freshness that balances the richness of the scallops. And because we’re not stopping there: once the scallops are done, we make a quick lime brown butter in the same skillet to pour over everything. It’s buttery, toasty, citrusy, and ties it all together like a finishing sauce without actually making a sauce.

If raw zucchini and peppers don’t get you excited, you can give this salsa a quick sauté in the scallop pan, post-sear, for a softer, slightly warmer version. Both are good, it just depends on your mood. Either way, this one’s elegant enough for date night or a dinner party, but simple enough to throw together on a Wednesday when you want to eat something that feels a little special.

Finally, if the idea of polenta scares you because you think it will take a lot of time, please do not fret!!! I used the log of polenta from Trader Joe’s and followed the microwave instructions on the back to whip it up super quickly. You can also find instant polenta that’s easy to make on the stove top as well.

Ok, let’s get cooking!!!